D&D (2024) How D&D Beyond Will Handle Access To 2014 Rules

D&D Beyond has announced how the transition to the new 2024 edition will work on the platform, and how legacy access to the 2014 version of D&D will be implemented.

• You will still be able to access the 2014 Basic Rules and core rulebooks.
• You will still be able to make characters using the 2014 Player's Handbook.
• Existing home-brew content will not be impacted.
• These 2014 rules will be accessible and will be marked with a 'legacy' badge: classes, subclasses, species, backgrounds, feats, monsters.
• Tooltips will reflect the 2024 rules.
• Monster stat blocks will be updated to 2024.
• There will be terminology changes (Heroic Inspiration, Species, etc.)

D&D (2024) - Wizards of the Coast Backtracks on D&D Beyond and 2014 Content

Wizards of the Coast posted an overnight update stating that they are not going forward with previously released plans to require those wishing to use some 2014 content on D&D Beyond to use the Homebrew function to manually enter it. Instead, all the content including spells and magic items will...

www.enworld.org

 

[Micah Sweet]

I'm not sure I would call the effort minor. For me, the whole point of using D&D Beyond was to have the rules at my fingertips. If I have to go back to looking things up manually, why should I bother continuing to use DDB? DDB's compendium search function isn't the greatest, and I can actually look stuff up in the physical books faster by memorizing page numbers, which is not something you can do with the digital, non-PDF versions offered on DDB.

Yup, the issue here is that folks have different points of view regarding how much these changes matter to them personally, and many are unfortunately presenting their opinion on the matter (ie, these are minor changes easily worked around) as fact.

 

[darjr]

I wonder if DnDBeyond could just dump the 2014 spells into home brew for us? I imagine it could be just a script on their end.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I wonder if DnDBeyond could just dump the 2014 spells into home brew for us? I imagine it could be just a script on their end.

Sounds like effort that doesn't lead to higher profits for WotC, so I doubt it.

 

[Nikosandros]

I wonder if DnDBeyond could just dump the 2014 spells into home brew for us? I imagine it could be just a script on their end.

I believe that there are users who have offered to code such scripts for them. The main problem, is that - for quite some time now - the devs of DDB have been completely silent. AFAIK there are two moderators/community managers bravely holding the fort and... the rest is silence.

 

[MockingBird]

Yup, the issue here is that folks have different points of view regarding how much these changes matter to them personally, and many are unfortunately presenting their opinion on the matter (ie, these are minor changes easily worked around) as fact.

And the same is happening on the other end. It's all speculation until we actually see it for ourselves. The only issue is, as pointed out up thread, most people don't use Dndbeyond or 5e.

 

[Remathilis]

4e is not the currently supported edition. 5e is, and WotC is adamant that 2014 5e and 2024 5e are both 5e.

Which is why they are updating the tooltips to the 2024 versions.

Serious question: is anyone upset you can't access the original Elemental Evil Player's Guide version of the Goliath? Or the elf-only SCAG version of the bladesinger? Or the original Orc stats from Volo? Maybe the uncapped version of Healing Spirit? All those things got eratta'd out or replaced in subsequent books. Should D&D Beyond allow me to use the originals in the database and tooltips? Should I have a choice which version of Goliath I want to appear when I hover over it?

Because DnDBe is treating 2024 like a massive errata dump for 5e. Just like MotM did for Volo and ToF or Tasha and Xanathar did its reprinted options. At a certain point, every piece of errata would create a divergent entry and the site would clog up with hundreds of the same thing only with various changes and the character sheet trying to find the correct version of green flame blade you're using.

 

[Micah Sweet]

And the same is happening on the other end. It's all speculation until we actually see it for ourselves. The only issue is, as pointed out up thread, most people don't use Dndbeyond or 5e.

I don't see that as a relevant point or a reason not to discuss. I find this very interesting, and I don't play WotC 5e or use Dndbeyond.

 

[Nikosandros]

Which is why they are updating the tooltips to the 2024 versions.

Or the original Orc stats from Volo?

You can in fact still access the orc stats from Volo, if you bought it back then. This applies to all the legacy races.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Which is why they are updating the tooltips to the 2024 versions.

Serious question: is anyone upset you can't access the original Elemental Evil Player's Guide version of the Goliath? Or the elf-only SCAG version of the bladesinger? Or the original Orc stats from Volo? Maybe the uncapped version of Healing Spirit? All those things got eratta'd out or replaced in subsequent books. Should D&D Beyond allow me to use the originals in the database and tooltips? Should I have a choice which version of Goliath I want to appear when I hover over it?

Because DnDBe is treating 2024 like a massive errata dump for 5e. Just like MotM did for Volo and ToF or Tasha and Xanathar did its reprinted options. At a certain point, every piece of errata would create a divergent entry and the site would clog up with hundreds of the same thing only with various changes and the character sheet trying to find the correct version of green flame blade you're using.

Plenty of people prefer the older versions of rules widgets and resent them being replaced in the tools for the same edition they are playing, yes. Clearly that doesn't matter to you, but we all can only speak for ourselves.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Because DnDBe is treating 2024 like a massive errata dump for 5e. Just like MotM did for Volo and ToF or Tasha and Xanathar did its reprinted options. At a certain point, every piece of errata would create a divergent entry and the site would clog up with hundreds of the same thing only with various changes and the character sheet trying to find the correct version of green flame blade you're using.

They are and they aren't treating it like errata. The classes and subclasses, and presumably the monsters later (ie the parts they want to sell the most) aren't being erased in favor of the new stuff. You don't just get those without paying extra like the spells and items.